Reunion
by discussionsonpaper
Summary: It's a 10 year reunion at Camelot High, and Merlin has a surprise (sort of) confession. AU. Merthur. One shot.


_**A/N: **So I know that this isn't my best work, nor is it very long. It's just something that (I hope) will get me out of this massive writers block I've had for months now. I just needed to write something, and this is what I came up with. So please don't judge it too harshly. Reviews are welcomed (duh) even if this is kind of crap._

**_Disclaimer: _**_I do not own Merlin, Arthur, or any of the Knights. _

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><p>Arthur couldn't believe he was back here. After 10 years, he was back in the sweat smelling gym (no matter how much they tried to disguise it with air fresheners and food) with the same tacky decorations they had at his senior formal, along with the people he said (mostly insincere) goodbye to. Arthur let out another sigh, willing himself not to look too pathetic while he ignored the looks he got from his old classmates. He was already trying to think of a plausible excuse to leave, go home, and watch some crappy shows with his partner.<p>

But apparently the fates were not with him. He pushed down another sigh as he turned to see who had called his name this time. Another fake smile as, yet another, girl from his past came up and tried to flirt with him. However, she was as dull as she was when they were in school, Arthur noted with little interest, as he occasionally humming at random intervals.

"So," her nasally voice pierced through his thoughts, "are you seeing anyone, Arthur?" she leaned in close, fluttering her fake eyelashes at the blonde.

Arthur stepped back, able to put some space from the slightly overcrowded gym, with a poorly veiled look of disgust on his face, "Happily married, actually," He replied, he his left hand between them, as if he hoped that the ring, that glinted in the tacky disco lights, would provide an invisible wall between them. The girl glared at the ring in disgust, willing it to disappear.

"Well, where is she then?" she questioned, as if thinking that Arthur made up this person. Before he could reply, Arthur heard someone else calling his name.

He tried not to show his relief that he felt as he turned to face the anonymous saviour. His grin widened as he saw Gwaine and Percival, his old rugby teammates, walking through the crowd that absently parted for them. "Arthur, mate, we were just looking for you!" Gwaine shouted, ignoring the looks he got from the crowd.

They did the man hug-handshake that all men seemed to know, "Hey Gwaine, Perce," Arthur greeted enthusiastically, quickly dismissing the flirtatious girl, though she still hung around, hoping desperately that he would pay attention to her. "It's been a while. How have you guys been?"

"Not too bad," they both answered before starting to talk over one another about what has been happening with their lives. Arthur laughed at their antics.

"Hey, look who it is!" Gwaine cut off from his previous sentence, instead turned to stare and point at the entrance of the gymnasium. They all turned to whomever Gwaine was rudely pointing at. Arthur, whose back was to the door, was the last to see him. Arthur's mouth lifted into a smile as he noticed Merlin Emrys wandering around, looking lost, in the crowded gym. "Merlin!" Gwaine called out, waving his arms above his head, as if Merlin needed a signal as to where they are. They could all see the relief on Merlin's face as he found someone he knew (or rather, they found him).

Merlin Emrys had the tutor for most of the rugby team during their school years so they wouldn't be kicked off, and in return, he received friendship, and protection from the douche bags that used to pick on him for his bookish tendencies, or his ears, or his strange fashion sense, or a number of things that childish teenagers could tease him about. And it looked like he hadn't changed a bit since high school, sure he was older, and looked a little more tired, but there still seemed to be some innocence in his striking blue eyes that held a hint of gold. His ears still poked out of his ink black hair, and of course he would never go anywhere without that idiotic neckerchief around his neck. However, it was Merlin, he always seemed to pull of the impossible (such as being able to keep getting A's while pushing a group of unruly rugby players into getting C's and B's, as well maintaining a social life, and helping his mother and Uncle Gaius; so making that neckerchief look bloody adorable wasn't much of a stretch).

As soon as he was in reach, Gwaine pulled him into a tight hug, "Hello Merlin!" Gwaine said happily, smothering him into his chest.

"Hello Gwaine," Merlin tried to greet back, though it came out muffled. After a minute or so, when Gwaine didn't seem to want to let go, Merlin tapped the taller man on the shoulder as a hint that he should. They all laughed as Merlin made a big show of filling his lungs with air that had been deprived of.

"God, Gwaine," Merlin started with a teasing undertone, "don't you ever shower?"

"Do I ever... come here runt," Merlin quickly dodged Gwaine's attempt of pulling him into another hug, before quickly hiding behind the bulky frame of Percival.

"Hey there Perce, how's it going?" Merlin asked conversationally as both he and Gwaine kept running around the man.

"Not too bad," Percival said with a small laugh before reflecting the question back to the blue eyed man-child.

"Can't complain, I suppose. You know how it is in married life; I'm actually not _allowed_ to complain. Part of our vows." He joked. He kept his eyes on Gwaine as much as possible. Merlin quickly cast a glance around, looking for a new hiding place, his gaze stopped at the blonde Pendragon, "Arthur, is that you skulking in the shadows?" He asked with a teasing smile and squinty eyes. He quickly dodged once again when he realised Gwaine had gotten too close.

Arthur let out a laugh, "I am not skulking." He ignored the scoff he got from the man, and continued, "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were going to be with Freya,"

"Gwen and Lance came into my house and practically forced me to come here,"

"Who's Freya, Merlin?" Gwaine teased, making another grab, but reaching thin air once more. "That the wife?"

"She's my daughter, actually." Merlin stated simply. Gwaine stopped running after him, Percival turned quickly so that he was facing the shorter man, while Arthur just kept on smiling.

"You have a daughter and never introduced her to her good ol' Uncle Gwaine?" Gwaine pouted, "I'm hurt Merlin. It hurts me right here," he then placed a hand on his 'wounded' heart.

"Well..." Merlin tried to find an excuse, occasionally glaring at Arthur for bringing her up.

"It's wonderful to see that you two kept in touch," the forgotten girl piped up again, resting her hand on the blonde's arm, "I think that everyone remembers all the trouble you two got you to in school," she forced a laugh.

"Hey," Merlin disagreed, thankful for the change of subject, "_he_ got in trouble, I just had to follow him so that it wouldn't be as bad as it would've been had he been alone."

"Sure Merlin," Arthur interrupted dryly, with a smirk firmly in place, "whatever you say," he moved slightly so that the girls hand would fall dejectedly back to her side.

"Wait, so your daughter has met princess over there, but not good ol' Uncle Gwaine?"

"Well, yeah, considering that princess over there is Freya's _father_, I would hope that she had been introduced to him one time or another." Another stunned silence.

"Leon!" Gwaine finally called out to the people in the gym, over the pounding music; "You owe me some money!" He turned to the small group, "Does a bet gather interest over the years?"


End file.
